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South Carolina artist's national anthem painting performance goes national

Jo Everson's work on display at Taylors Mill gallery

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Updated: 12:14 PM EST Jan 4, 2017

South Carolina artist's national anthem painting performance goes national

Jo Everson's work on display at Taylors Mill gallery

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Updated: 12:14 PM EST Jan 4, 2017

GREENVILLE, S.C. —

A South Carolina artist’s rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" over the weekend has been shared by major sports and news outlets, giving him a national stage.

Jo Everson, who has a studio in Greenville County’s Taylors Mill, had performed the same version of the national anthem at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena before a Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey game back in March.

But Everson’s performance Saturday in Toledo, Ohio, before the Walleyes hockey team took on the Brampton Beast in the home opener, has set the internet on fire.

The artist sang the widely recognized but highly difficult song as he painted his vision of raising the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima during World War II.

Everson started singing in front of an easel with shapes of black and blue on the canvas. When the song was finished, he had flipped the canvas to reveal his patriotic work, and as the saying goes, the crowd went wild.

Since Saturday, numerous versions of his performance have been posted in various sites, including Sports Illustrated and FOXSports. Everson also recreated his performance Monday on "FOX & Friends."

Everson moved from Michigan to South Carolina a few years ago, according to his website. He says before devoting his full time efforts to art, he worked 60 hours a week driving a fuel truck, working construction jobs and singing in a quartet on weekends.